Compression tool



June 24, 1969 R, c. BAHL ET AL 3,451,251

COMPRESS ION TOOL Filed Oct. 20, 1967 United States Patent O 3,451,251 COMPRESSION TOOL Richard C. Bahl, Agoura, and Miles J. Zeller, Hermosa Beach, Calif., assignors to Northrop Corporation, Beverly Hills, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Oct. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 676,768 Int. Cl. B21d 7/06; B213 9/18 U.S. Cl. 72-407 3 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus, of the type shown and described herein, must necessarily be of simple and durable construction if it is to operate effectively and efiiciently over extended periods of time while displaying few if any malfunctioning tendencies.

Accordingly it is a principal object of the present invention to disclosure apparatus for effecting compression or squeezing operations including a minimum number of components resulting in few if any malfunctioning tendencies.

Another object is to disclose apparatus for effecting compression or squeezing operations which-during the operation of the apparatus-presents minimum resistance due to friction.

Another object is to disclose apparatus for effecting compression or squeezing operations in which the maximum force resulting in the compressive or squeezing operation occurs at or near the end of the stroke of the apparatus.

Although the characteristic features of the present invention are particularly. pointed out in the appended claims, the invention itself, also the manner in which it may be carried out, will be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective View of the apparatus disclosed herein.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view in detail of the apparatus of FIGURE 1, the apparatus 4being shown in its closed position at the conclusion of a riveting operation.

Referring to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows a device 11 adapted to effect a compressing or squeeze operation as disclosed herein. Major components of the device 11 include support, push bar and jaw members 12, 14 and 16, respectively.

The support member 12 constitutes an elongated member having an adapter end 17 of cylindrical configuration and a pivotal end 18. The pivotal end is bifurcated defining a pair of legs 19, each of rectangular cross-section. The bar and jaw members 14 and 16 are mounted between the legs 1 9-19 for linear and pivotal movement, respectively, as best seen in FIGURE 1. The extreme outer end 18 of the member 12 carriers a pin member 21 of cylindrical configuration about which the members 16 pivot during the operation of the device 11. The bar member 14 is slidably mounted between the legs 19-19 for linear movement therein which is imparted thereto by the 3,451,251 Patented June 24, 1969 piston rod of a fluid motor 27 secured in the end 17 of the device 11.

The device 11 is supported by a U-shaped member 22 which in turn is supported by hand operated hoist means 23 from overhead structure (not shown). The legs of the member 22 are pivotally attached to the adapter end of the device 11. Mounted in this manner the device is rendered extremely maneuverable, in fact the device mounted in this manner enables it to be operated and positioned by a single operator.

The jaw members 16 include jaw and mounting portions 24 and 26, respectively, as best seen in FIGURE 2. As mounted in the member 12 and with the pistou of rnotor 27 fully extended, it will be seen that the portions 24 have an opposed relation and the aft end edges of the portions 26 have a normal relation with respect to the axis A-A of the device 11.

The configuration of the bar member 14 is substantially that of an isosceles triangle in which the side opposite the equal sides is slightly concave, the latter side-identified by the numeral 25is hereafter referred to as the adjacent or contacting edge. The adjacent or contacting edge terminates (each end) in rounder or cylindrical surfaces 27 each of small radius, indicated by the letter R as shown in FIGURE 2. Thus, it will be seen that the member 14 will transmit maximum forces to the jaw members 16 with minimum frictions. This relationship results in a substantially rolling motion as the member 14 contacts the jaw members 16.

The member 14 and the jaw members 16 are secured together lby spring means 28 which insure that the two members are always in contact with each other. In addition the spring means 28 insures that the jaw members 16 will be returned to their full open position at such time as the piston of the motor 27 is retracted. The above is due to the fact that the member 14 is secured to and moves with the piston rod of the motor 27.

In the present embodiment the device 11 illustrated as being utilized to simultaneously compress or squeeze the ends of a pair of rivets as shown in FIGURE 2.

In this embodiment (FIGURE 2), the skin 31 of an aircraft or the like having a stringer 32 secured thereto, illustrated in dotted construction. Between the legs of the stringer it is desired to secure two plates 33-33 by riveting substantially as shown. To accomplish this rivets 34 are inserted through apertures formed in legs of the stringers (hat shaped section) and the plate 33. To maintain the rivets in their respective apertures, also to provide backup means for the rivets, a member 36 is inserted bet-ween the rivets. A member 37, adapted to form heads on the shank end of the rivets 34, is positioned on each jaw of the members 16. The members 37 are secured to the members 16 by means of bolts or the like positioned in the apertures 38-38. The proper angular relation of the members 37 with respect to the members 16 is retained by detent pins positioned in apertures 39-39.

The device 11 is now Ipositioned with respect to the Stringer 32, rivets 34-34 etc. substantially as shown in FIGURE 2. This is easily accomplished by a single operator due to the manner in which the device 11 is mounted and supported.

With the members 37 contacting the shank ends of the rivets 34, the motor 27 is actuated. The piston of the motor 27 urges the member 14 into firm contacting relation with the aft ends of the jaw members 16. The edge defined by the radii R contacts the jaw members 16 and a rolling movement occurs between the members 14 and 16, thus the jaw portions 24 are urged toward each other and heads formed on the rivets 34. Likewise it will be apparent that, in the full open position of the jaw members 16, the aft end edges thereof will provide an acute angular relation with respect to the axis A-A.

This relationship enables the bar member 14 to transmit maximum forces to the jaw members 16 in a manner to be discussed presently.

The piston of the device 11 is then retracted and the operation repeated until all the rivets in the stringer 32 are proper headed and the plates 33-33 rmly secured to the stringer 32. Also it will be understood that the jaw portions 20 (members 37) will span the Stringer 32 at such time as the piston of the motor 27 is fully retracted and the jaw members 16 caused to assume their full open positions. In other words minimum linear movement of the `bar member 14 results in maximum angular movement of the jaw members 16.

Accordingly it is easy for the device 11 to be moved (positioned and repositioned) from one Stringer to another. Mounted in the manner previously described this is easily accomplished by a single operator.

While in order to comply with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or -less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown,

but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred form of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus adapted to apply a compressive force to an article the combination, comprising:

(a) an elongated support member having pivotal and adapter ends and being symmetrically constructed with respect to a longitudinal axis thereof;

(b) a pair of jaw members having jaw and aft end portions, the latter portions being of rectangular configuration;

(c) said pair of jaw members being pivotally mounted at the pivotal end of said support member to provide a relationship in which said jaw end portions have an opposed relation and the aft edges of said 4 aft end portions have an acute angular relation with respect to said longitudinal axis at such times as said jaw members are in their full open position;

(d) a bar member slidably mounted in said support member and having a concave edge surface;

(e) power means mounted in the adapter end of said support member adapted to impart linear movement to said bar member at such times as said power means is actuated; and

(f) said linear movement of said bar member being transferred to said jaw members to provide angular movement resulting in the jaw portions being urged toward each other thereby effecting a squeezing operation.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1:

(a) in which the configuration of said bar member is substantially that of an isosceles triangle; and (b) said concave edge being the edge opposite the equal sides of said bar member and the apex of said bar member, located between the two equal sides thereof, being xedly secured to the piston rod of said power means.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2:

(a) in which the end of the concave edge of said bar member terminate in cylindrical ends whereby substantially rolling movement occurs as said concave edge contacts the aft edges of said end portions during a power stroke of said power means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,035,686 3/1936 Briegel 72-4l0 RONALD D. CREFE, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 72-452. 

